A student has been rushed to hospital after taking prescription drugs with a group of friends in St Austell.

Cornwall Live was contacted by a member of the public on Tuesday evening (February 20) who said a group of students had taken "tramadol and amitriptyline".

He wrote: "Few kids in St Austell college took loads of tramadol and one's in hospital, hope there OK."

He added: "They took a mixture or prescription drugs like tramadol, amitriptyline ect. It has to have been after lunch as a family friend had to help one of the lads out in lesson and also the bus had to leave late as another lad was looking pretty rough on the bus."

Chris Taylor, campus head at Cornwall College St Austell, said: "A small number of students took prescription medication on Tuesday while offsite.

"Later in the day one of the students became ill while at college and was looked after by first aid trained staff and then paramedics who transferred the student to hospital. The student was discharged later the same evening.

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"Buses were delayed by ten minutes while the incident was being dealt with.

"We have a zero-tolerance policy towards drug taking at the college and those students involved are in precautionary action measures while the matter is investigated further.

"This incident should act as a warning to everyone about the dangers of drug misuse.

Cornwall College in St Austell (Image: Cornwall College in St Austell)

"I would also like to pass on the thanks of the parents to staff who acted quickly and professionally to ensure the wellbeing of our students."

What is Tramadol?

According to drug advice on the FRANK website, Tramadol, like other opiates, stimulates brain opioid receptors but it also increases brain serotonin levels. It is a medicine used to treat moderate to severe pain. It is only available with a prescription from your doctor. Other opiates include codeine, methadone and heroin.

Although tramadol is not as strong as heroin, it shares many of the same effects and both are addictive.

Tramadol can produce feelings of warmth and well-being, relaxation and sleepiness; cause fatigue, drowsiness, loss of appetite, nausea and retching, diarrhoea, and dizziness or fainting; worsen side-effects and risks when used with certain antidepressants that tend to increase serotonin levels.

What are the risks?

Although tramadol is not as potent as the strongest opiates like heroin, it still acts as an opiate, and also has additional risks due to its actions on serotonin levels:

If you have epilepsy or are taking certain antidepressants you should definitely only take tramadol with clear medical advice because of the known risks.

Tramadol can depress breathing and may be risky in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Tramadol use has been linked with ‘serotonin syndrome’. This is a potentially life threatening condition where the serotonin receptors are over stimulated, which can lead to high fever, rapid pulse, shivering, sweating, trembling, muscle twitches and agitation and confusion.

Pregnant women should not use tramadol as it can be toxic to the developing foetus.

Tramadol and alcohol

Mixing tramadol with alcohol can have serious consequences – an overdose is more likely and this can lead to a coma or respiratory failure and death.

Advice about drug taking on the FRANK website states: "All drugs carry risks and you never know how you’ll react to a drug so it’s a bit of a lottery.

"Drugs can be broadly divided into three categories based on their main effects. They may act solely as stimulants, as depressants or as hallucinogens (aka psychedelics).

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"Quite a few drugs have mixed effects. Many show two effects at the same time, and can then be described either as stimulant hallucinogens (for example, ecstasy) or as depressant hallucinogens (for example, cannabis).

"Stimulants make you feel alert and like you have lots of energy and confidence. However, they can put pressure on your heart and there is a risk of heart failure. They include cocaine, speed, ecstasy, and mephedrone.

What is amitriptyline?

The Web MD website states: "This medication is used to treat mental/mood problems such as depression. It may help improve mood and feelings of well-being, relieve anxiety and tension, help you sleep better, and increase your energy level. This medication belongs to a class of medications called tricyclic antidepressants. It works by affecting the balance of certain natural chemicals (neurotransmitters such as serotonin) in the brain.

"How to use amitriptyline HCL: Read the Medication Guide provided by your pharmacist before you start taking amitriptyline and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

"Take this medication by mouth, usually 1 to 4 times daily or as directed by your doctor. If you take it only once a day, take it at bedtime to help reduce daytime sleepiness. The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to treatment.

"Take this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, take it at the same time(s) each day. Do not increase your dose or use this drug more often or for longer than prescribed. Your condition will not improve any faster, and your risk of side effects will increase.

"It is important to continue taking this medication even if you feel well. Do not stop taking this medication without consulting your doctor. Some conditions may become worse when this drug is suddenly stopped. Also, you may experience symptoms such as mood swings, headache, tiredness, and sleep change. To prevent these symptoms while you are stopping treatment with this drug, your doctor may reduce your dose gradually. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details. Report any new or worsening symptoms right away.

"This medication may not work right away. You may see some benefit within a week. However, it may take up to 4 weeks before you feel the full effect.

"Tell your doctor if your condition persists or worsens (such as your feelings of sadness get worse, or you have thoughts of suicide)."

"Depressants make you feel relaxed and chilled out but they can slow down your heart rate and breathing which can be fatal. They include alcohol, tranquillisers, heroin and cannabis.

"Hallucinogens can make you view reality in a distorted way - your sense of movement and time can speed up or slow down and you might see vivid distortions, illusions or hallucinations (seeing things that are there). They include LSD and magic mushrooms.

"In addition to these three broad categories, each particular drug has its own specific effects and risks.

"Some drugs are quite new and their harms may not yet be fully known. Sometimes drugs don’t contain what you think they do, for example, PMA and mephedrone have been sold as MDMA/ecstasy. Information on the known effects of drugs is available in the A-Z of drugs."